Experiences and coping strategies of women living with HIV/AIDS diagnosis : a case study of Maseru, Lesotho

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Several studies have reported that thirty million people are living with HIV/AIDS insub-Saharan Africa. Fifty percent of the infected adults are women aged between 15and 49 years. In Lesotho, HIV/AIDS has also been declared a national emergency andan estimated 180,000 women out of 330,000 adults, and 27,000 children are livingwith HIV/AIDS. Statistics have shown that the majority of AIDS cases occur in adultsaged 15 and 49 years in Lesotho. Presently women are the fastest growing infectedpopulation in Lesotho. Regardless of the growing numbers of women infected withHIV/AIDS, experiences of women living with HIV/AIDS have received littleattention in Lesotho. Qualitative research in this area is necessary to gain access towomen's perceptions of their HIV positive status. In this study, the experiences andcoping strategies of Basotho women living with HIV/AIDS were investigated. Thestudy used a feminist approach to research. Feminist research stresses the multiplicityof knowledge and it is useful to understand the subjective experiences of women. Indepth,face-to-face interviews were conducted with five women ranging between 29and 46 years, purposefully drawn from Positive Action Society Lesotho (PASL).Grounded theory was used to analyse the data. Findings indicate that women's risk forexposure to HIV is related to their ability to protect themselves by negotiating a safesexual relationship. Women who feel powerless in their relationships are less likely toprotect themselves against HIVexposure. These perceptions of powerlessness are theresult of a broad array of experiences that may include exposure to gender-basedviolence and restricted economic opportunities. The results show that it is common forwomen to be shocked, depressed, and discouraged when they find that they are livingwith HIV/AIDS as can be expected. It is also difficult for women to disclose theirHIV positive status to family, friends and community members because of stigmaattached to HIV/AIDS. Participants developed different ways of coping with theirstatus such as religion, healthy life style, AIDS counselling and social networks.There was a profound sense of anxiety about the future care of children. The studyconcludes with a number of recommendations to promote an environment that willmake it possible for women living with HIV/AIDS to cope with their illness.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University